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Unintended Consequences

Tonight my mind is on consequences. Essentially, consequences are the results that follow any action. They are the effect coming after the cause. Often, we have the luck of performing a specific action and achieving the desired result. Occasionally though, some aspect of a given scenario fails to come together the way we planned

We find ourselves suddenly unprepared, and forced to react with gut instinct rather than respond with wisdom. Sometimes these unintended consequences cause pain and suffering, destroying the fruits of much planning and labor. Sometimes these consequences are beautiful surprises that take a great weight from our shoulders and provides us a brief moment of rest from the struggle of living. Either way, these unintended consequences provide us an opportunity to test our ability to persevere and overcome, regardless of the characteristics of a given situation. These unintended consequences provide us the opportunity to be who we really are, if only for a moment.

It’s okay if who you really are is a little bit strange

If you are fortunate enough to recognize these moments, it is possible to learn how to tap into that frame of mind, without necessarily enduring any unintended consequences. I think the process of learning to tap into “yourself” may unfold something like this:

The more often you are forced to react(instead of respond), the more often you will be forced to trust your instincts or gut reaction. The more often these instincts are tested, the easier it will be to trust your judgment and believe you can make the best of any situation. The more often you believe you can make the best of any situation, the more often you will be willing to try new experiences and interact with the world around you. The more often you try new experiences and see what is out there in the world around you, the easier it will be for you to define who you are, using your own definitions and characteristics. And finally, the more often you use your own standard to define who you are, the more often you will avoid being lumped in with the status quo, with the unthinking majority, with the ignorant mass that makes up such a large portion of modern, industrialized society.

The only way we are ever going to achieve anything in terms of revolution or change is to begin that change and revolution within ourselves. To prepare for whatever the near-future will bring, we begin teaching ourselves to be prepared for anything. We begin thinking differently about what we eat, how we work and play, who we love, and what we believe. We begin expressing our creativity in provocative ways, doing our best to elicit some kind of response from the people around us, and welcoming their response as an invitation to dialogue. Most of all, we reach out to embrace the random, we reach out to embrace whatever may come.

Stepping out of our comfort zone, and approaching the unknown without fear is our starting point. We can’t know what unintended consequences lie in wait for us, but we can do our best to prepare for whatever the future will bring. Let’s start now, we don’t have any more time to waste. Until next time…

Thanks for this post Tobias. I have been on a journey of “Awareness” for almost a year and a half. The freedom I felt from just BECOMING aware of my reactions was of great value. It was also I learned the first step to being present in everything else I say and do. The first six months of this journey I was unable to even admit I was reacting instead of responding; all actions were rationalized. Once the excuses, black/white thinking gave way A BITt, the next step was learning not to punish or judge myself for reacting, accepting that this is how I had learned to “survive” in the world thus far. I am still working on both steps. But everyday, despite setbacks, I wake up and tell myself it is a new day, with every interaction that day an opportunity to respond instead of react. BTW, this is the short version :o). Thank you for your peaceful energy and amazing coaching

It sounds like you have made great headway in your journey, and I offer congratulations to you :). The process of discovering one’s “true” self is not a light undertaking, and a vast majority of folks are afraid to even put forth the effort. I also applaud you for recognizing the difference between responding and reacting, and recognizing that there is an appropriate time for each; this differentiation is important to understand, and even more important when applied to your personal relationships. Good luck with the continuation of your journey, thanks for reading and participating in the Living Revolution! Until next time…

How apropos.
This rings true for me lately. The more I push myself past my comfort zone, the more I realize how large I had let my comfort zone grow. It’s made me realize that I don’t know myself, my reactions, and what I’m capable of as well as I thought. Every day is a new challenge: What can I learn about myself today?

And all these are a few of the reason why I love you more than a thousand. Our Journey together has been an amazing experience, and watching your grow into an incredible women has been a privilege for me; I can’t wait to see what the future brings for you, and for us. You put in so much effort to finding out who you are, I think you should give yourself more credit for how far you have come. I am so proud of the challenges you have endured and the strength you have shown in the face of adversity. I love you 🙂